Pets,

Alcoholic Beverages,

Glass Containers,

Grills,

Fireworks/Sparklers,

Tailgating,

Tents/Canopies/Large Umbrellas,

Drones,

Soliciting.

Gates open at 5:00pm

Garner Veterans Memorial Tours | 5:00-7:30pm, free

Food Vendors | 5:00-9:30pm, for purchase

Kids’ Zone with games, inflatables, & playground | 5:00-8:00pm, free

Bull City Syndicate performance | 5:00-7:45pm, free

NC Symphony performance | 8:30-9:30pm, free

Fireworks immediately following the symphony performance | approx. 9:30pm

On-site Parking: 

Parking on site at Lake Benson Park (921 Buffaloe Rd, Garner, NC 27529) is free on a first-come, first-served basis.

Shuttle Service:

A free shuttle service starting at 5pm from South Garner High School (8228 Hebron Church Rd, Garner, NC 27529) will be provided. The last pick-up from South Garner High School will be at 8:45pm. Shuttles will pause operation during the fireworks show and will resume at the conclusion of the fireworks to carry spectators back to South Garner High School.

Handicap Parking:

Handicap designated parking will be available first come, first served at Lake Benson Park for those with a tag. Shuttles form South Garner High School are not handicap accessible.

Uber/Lyft:

All Uber/Lyft drop offs & pick-ups must be done at the Shuttle drop off/pick-up point (126 Bonica Creek Dr, Garner, NC 27529). Uber/Lyft drivers will be permitted to use the closed portion of Buffaloe Rd for access. Please have Uber/Lyft placard displayed visibility in front windshield. Please take note of the traffic changes for the conclusion of the event.

Road Closures:

The Garner Police Department will be closing Buffaloe Road, between Aversboro Road and Highway 50, on July 3rd at 5:00pm until approximately 11:45pm to all through traffic. Officers will be posted at each end of Buffaloe Road allowing residents and their guests access to the affected neighborhoods during the street closure.

At approximately 8:45pm, the Garner Police Department will close Aversboro Road, from Lake Benson Park to Timber Drive, to all southbound traffic to prepare for the conclusion of the event. Residents off Aversboro Road must take Aversboro Road northbound, towards Timber Drive, to access their residence after 8:45pm until approximately 11:45pm.

Park Closures:

In preparation for our July 3rd celebration, Lake Benson Park will be closed to vehicles July 1 & 2; trails and park amenities will remain open with parking across the street at White Deer Park.

On July 3 Lake Benson Park will be closed to all vehicles and foot traffic until gates open at 5:00pm for the event.

White Deer Park will be closed the entire day on July 3 to both vehicles and all foot traffic.

Getting Around: 

Free accessible parking will be available close to the event space at Lake Benson Park (921 Buffaloe Rd, Garner, NC 27529) on a first come, first served basis. The parking surface and surface up to the event entrance is gravel. The event space surface is grass/compacted dirt. The event space is mostly flat, but may be bumpy, or if it has recently rained, muddy in some places.

Service Animals:

Pets are not allowed within the event grounds. However, dogs and miniature horses, which have been trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability, are welcome. Service animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered while in public places. If these devices interfere with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these devices, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice, signal, or other effective controls.

In North Carolina, service animals in training have the same rights as fully trained service animals. They must wear a collar, leash, and an identifying harness or cape that indicates they are in training.

Is an “emotional support,” “therapy,” “comfort,” or “companion” animal considered a service animal?
No. These terms are used to describe animals that provide comfort just by being with a person. Because they have not been trained to perform a specific job or task, they do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.

Patrons attending the event with a service animal are encouraged to check their service animal in at the Chill Zone tent to prevent being stopped for verification multiple times throughout the event. A small tag or wristband will be provided to identify those that have checked in.

Chill Zone:

We have been able to provide a sensory supportive space with funding through the North Carolina Recreation and Park Association New Initiative Grant. This can be found near the handicap parking lot event entrance near the Garner, Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources booth. Look for our branded tent.

Know Before You Go Sensory Guidebook

Anyone requiring a reasonable accommodation for a disability should contact [email protected] or 919-773-4441 no later than June 18, 2024.

A huge thank you to our supporting sponsors:

All American Gutter Protection – Family Owned Gutter and Gutter Guard Company.

Bluebird on Seventy Apartments – Bluebird on Seventy is a new apartment community offering 1, 2, and 3 bedroom apartment homes that embodies the vibrant energy of urban living without sacrificing the space or tranquility of a suburban community.

Bright Achievements – Family focused ABA therapy. Give your family member the opportunity to reach their potential through clinically proven therapies and provide your family with the care and support they need.

Michelle Linker State Farm – Auto, home, business, life, and health insurance.

Make sure to give their booths a visit!

Don’t miss out on these excellent food vendors at the event!

Black Berry Creek Kettle Corn
Bobasaur
Celtic Creamery JOCO
Chick-fil-A
Community Navigators Community Builders
D & J Concessions
Garner 391 Scouts
Garner Civitan Pop Warner
Goodness GraceUs
Hot Chix Hotcakes and Chicken
JAM Soft Serve Ice Cream and Shaved Ice
Knights of Colombus #11266
Mama Voula’s Authentic Greek
MoonRunners & Garner PAAL
Pelican’s Snoballs & Garner Area Youth Sports League
Poblanos Tacos
Sweet Southern SnoBalls, LLC
The Cheese Curd Shack
The Cheesesteak Factory
The Corner Venezuelan

We are not accepting any further food vendor applications. To get notices of future food vendor applications sign up HERE.